workers' rights

In the Fourth Episode, "Nothing Moves Without Us," we examine the job and work crisis in America. 

by John Johnson, Jr., President Transport Workers Union Local 234 

“Which Side Are You On?” is a song written in 1931 by Florence Reece, the wife of an organizer for the United Mine Workers. The lyric, “It seems like it's illegal to fight for the union anymore,” feels very current. Even the right to collective bargain is under attack by state governments. This push against unions is raising questions about basic workers’ rights.  

Unions are a very important part of American history, yet it is a topic rarely taught in schools. Labor Day is a time to reflect upon all the gains won by the labor movement for all workers and why we have the right to be proud of who we are, what we stand for and our history. 

Students at the University of Pennsylvania are holding a teach-in to discuss Penn's social and political practices. The students are asking the following questions:  Whom did Penn evict to make its home further west? What are the implications of the research Penn does for the Pentagon? How much does Penn pay its workers? And if Penn truly cares about diversity, why is it not reflected in its faculty? Come out on Tuesday, April 26, at 4:30PM to hear more. 

---------------

Photos by Kathleen Foley. Video by Tim Moyer.

On Wednesday July 22, over 300 taxi drivers, along with allies from Media Mobilizing Project, Workers United, Philadelphia Student Union, Casino Free Philadelphia, Jobs with Justice and IWW rallied at 3101 Market Street outside the headquarters of the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA).  The rally was focused on a list of demands taxi drivers have for the PPA:

• Fair parking ticket practices and an end to drive-by ticketing practices,
• A lowering of new PPA fees where, for instance, it now costs drivers $200 to put a new taxi on the road, and
• A return of all credit card money that has been misplaced from drivers' accounts through the PPA run credit card system.